Court Dash Costs Cuban $10,000

Mark Cuban was fined $10,000 and banned from Reunion Arena for two games for his fast-food inspired dash onto the court at the end of the Dallas-Cleveland game Thursday.

A shoving match between the Mavericks and the Cavaliers broke out at the end of Thursday night’s game when Dallas tried to reach 100 points in the final seconds of a blowout victory so fans could get coupons as part of a fast-food promotion.

Cuban came rushing onto the court to aid his players when the Cavaliers objected to the Mavericks’ running up the score.

The outspoken owner has been fined a total of $405,000 for infractions ranging from criticizing referees to sitting too close to the court. But this was his first suspension.

In addition, Robert Traylor of the Cleveland Cavaliers was suspended for one game and fined $5,000 for throwing a punch at the Mavericks’ Courtney Alexander. Traylor will serve his suspension when the Cavaliers face Houston today.

The billionaire owner said he was simply trying to protect his players.

“These are people I care about,” Cuban said on KTCK radio. “When something like that happens, your instinct isn’t to worry what the rule book is going to say.”

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The NBA tried to get out of paying a $77,000 bill for police overtime during a sometimes violent all-star weekend. The District of Columbia said no.

City officials said it would set a bad precedent for other groups that bring big events to the nation’s capital if the NBA were let off the hook.

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Arrowhead Pond executives said Friday they have yet to hear from Vancouver Grizzly owner Michael Heisley, the man they hope to persuade to bring his basketball team to Anaheim. Heisley must notify the NBA by March 1 if he wishes to move next season.

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Former Boston Celtic star Robert Parish took his first pro coaching job, with the U.S. Basketball League’s expansion Maryland Mustangs. Former NBA player Harvey Grant and former North Carolina assistant Terry Truax will serve as assistant coaches.

Staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this story.